12/23/2025
Living abroad is great until rent, utilities, and “mystery building fees” start gnawing at your budget. The IRS does throw you a bone: if you live overseas long enough to qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you may also get a break on housing—employees can exclude eligible costs, self-employed folks can deduct them. Think […]
12/15/2025
Your laptop says “New York,” your laundry says “Lisbon.” Welcome to the club. Thanks to remote everything, plenty of people now work for a U.S. company while living in Spain, Japan, Canada—or wherever the Wi-Fi behaves. Here’s the catch: who you are (U.S. citizen, green card holder, non-U.S. hire, or freelancer) changes the rules. Payroll, […]
12/07/2025
Inheriting cash or a flat in another country feels like winning the life lottery—right up until you remember the IRS has opinions. Here’s the good news: there’s no separate foreign inheritance tax under U.S. law. The less-good news: there are rules, forms, and deadlines, and the IRS would very much like you to follow them. […]
12/07/2025
If you’ve ever daydreamed about swapping rush hour traffic for toucans and monkeys, you’re not alone. Americans living in Costa Rica are discovering that the country’s famous pura vida philosophy isn’t just a slogan—it’s a lifestyle. Think year-round sunshine, beaches on both coasts, misty rainforests, and a daily pace that moves about as fast as […]
12/07/2025
Every year, more Americans pack up their lives and head across the pond, trading California sunshine for London drizzle—or at least for the promise of six weeks’ vacation. But living in the UK isn’t just about tea breaks and castles. For U.S. expats, international students, and digital nomads, that first year is often a whirlwind […]
12/03/2025
Not long ago, going without health insurance didn’t just mean taking a risk—it also meant paying the IRS. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), taxpayers without full-year coverage faced the “shared responsibility payment,” unless they qualified for an exemption. That’s where Form 8965 came in. Filing the form allowed taxpayers to claim a health coverage […]
12/01/2025
Here’s a fun fact no one tells you before moving abroad: you might end up paying into two social security systems at once—your host country and the U.S. Talk about double the paperwork, none of the fun. That’s where totalization agreements (a.k.a. international Social Security agreements) come in. These bilateral deals coordinate the U.S. system […]
11/25/2025
Recognizing the unique sacrifices made by those serving, Congress originally enacted the CZTE back in 1918 as a way to show appreciation and provide tangible support. It’s been a cornerstone of military tax benefits for decades, evolving over time to adapt to changing circumstances. The CZTE is a lifeline for many service members. With the pressures of deployment, from separation from loved ones to the inherent risks of the job, having a tax break offers some ease when it comes to financial burdens.
11/20/2025
When it comes to IRS penalties, the FBAR has a reputation for being one of the harshest. Miss it, and suddenly that “forgotten form” feels less like a slip-up and more like a five-figure headache. Here’s the deal: U.S. citizens, green card holders, and certain residents have to report foreign bank and financial accounts over […]
11/18/2025
Walking away from U.S. citizenship—or giving up a green card you’ve held for years—may feel like closing one chapter of your life. But before you pack your bags and toast to a tax-free future, there’s one final piece of paperwork standing between you and freedom: IRS Form 8854. This form decides whether the U.S. considers […]